Hoist



Patented Dec. 8, 1925.

Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS O. WERNER, OF BANGOR, AND ERIK W. MIKAEIiSON, OF EASTON, PENN SYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO TREADWELL ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF EASTON, PENN- S YLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

HO IST.

Application filed December 10, 1921. Serial No. 521,339.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS O. WERNER and ERIK V. MIKAELSON, citizens of the United States, and residents, respectively, of Bangor, county of Northampton, and State of Pennsylvania, and Easton, county of Northampton, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a. new and useful Improvement in. Hoists, of which the following is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to hoisting apparatusand is especially concerned with hoists designed for use in mines.

The various units of a mine hoist are customarily mounted on a. base, and the hoist is usually secured in its operating position in the mine by means of four posts, the lower ends of which rest on said base while the upper ends are wedged against the top of the tunnel or drift in which the hoist is located. The machine is entirely open except for guards placed over the gears, so that in case rocks or any other foreign material falls into the machine there is great danger of injuring the hoist seriously. A further objection to such hoists as heretofore constructed is that in order for the attendant to operate certain of the controlling levers it is necessary for him to reach over the machine between two of the posts above mentioned. He can only dodge backwa-rdly, therefore, in case an accident occurs, and the restrictions thus placed on his movements add materially to the hazard in operating a machine of this character.

It is the chief object of the present invention to overcome these objections, and to devise a hoist which will be less dangerous to operate than those heretofore proposed and whichwill itself be protected from inury.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawing, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawing, the single figure thereof is a perspective View of a hoist constructed in accordance with this invention, a portion of the casing of the machine, however, being broken away. The hoist out position of the clutch.

shown comprises an electric motor 2, a cable drum 3, and gear connections through which themotor is enabled to drive the drum. A clutch 4 is included in the driving connections between the motor and drum. The cable drum 3 has a brake drum or flange 5' at one end thereof which is encircled by a brake band 6 that is arranged to be operated by a lever 7 to tighten or loosen the band on the drum. All of these parts are of the usual construction and arrangement.

According to the present invention, howover, all of the parts of the hoist above mentioned are substantially enclosed in a heavy sheet metal casing. This casing includes opposite side members 8 and 8 having their upper and lower edges bent inwardly, the lower edges being riveted to a bottom plate 9-and the'upper edges being riveted to top plates 10 and 11. At the rearward end of the machine, that is, the end at which the cable drum 3 is located, the plates 8 and 8" are turned inwardly to form end plates, as shown at 12 and 12. The adjacent edges of these plates, however, are spaced apart by a substantial distance leaving an opening at this end of the casing through which the cable that is wound on the drum 3 may run. The oppositeend of the casing is substantially closed by an end plate 14:- which isriveted to the bottom plate 9 and is bolted to the side plate 8'. The side plates 8 and 8 entirely close the opposite sides of the machine. except for openings provided. to receive the bearing pieces 151:5, these open ings, however, being completely closed by the parts 15 which are bolted to the side plates, as shown. Between the fixed top plates 10 and 11 is a removable cover plate 16 having a bar 17 riveted to one end thereof, whereby it may be tipped back and removed to facilitate the inspection or repairing of the parts enclosed by the casing.

The lever 18, which operates the clutch 4, extends through a slot formed between the plates 11 and 14 ofthe casing and is provided with a handle 19. The upper edge of the plate 14 is notched, as shown at 20- 20, to hold the lever 18 in either the in or The connections for controllingor operating the brake include an adjustable link 21 which connects the lever 7 with one arm of a lever 22 that is fulcrumed on a shaft supported in a bracket the'desired location.

23 which is bolted to the side plate 8. The otherend of this lever 22 projects through a slot 2%- t'ormed between the edges of the plates 14 and 8. An upright bar 25 connected to the lever 22 is provided at its upper end with a handle 26 which is located at a convenient height for operation by the workman or attendant. This bar is guided in a hook-shaped member 27 which is secured to the end of the casing; A plate 28 bolted to the casing has notches 30-3O thereinto receive a projection 31 that extends in wardly from the bar 25, these notches being located at the proper elevations to support the bar in its different positions of adjustment.

The controller 32 for the electric motor 2 preferably is mounted on the end plate 14 of the casing, and the rheostat 33 may also be conveniently mounted on this part. Attention is particularly directed to the fact that the handle 34 of the controller 32 and the handles 19 and 26 of the clutch and brake levers, respectively, are all located closely adjacent to each other at one side of the casing. Each of these controlling devices, therefore may be operated by the workman while standing in a single position where he is entirely free of the machine. Consequently, if an accident occurs he can jump in any direction away from the machine, and he can even jump on to the hoist casing if that should be necessary.

The bottom plate 9 of the casing preferably is made both wider and longer than the body of the casing, the width of the casing being at least equal to that of the maximum width of the parts of the hoist above it. The ends of the bottom plate are turned up into an outwardly inclined position, as shown at 35 and 36. Two holes are formed through each of these extensions, certain of these holes being shown at 37. This construction facilitates the moving of the hoist in the mine, since tackle can be attached to either end of the bottom plate, and the entire hcist can then be dragged to The lateral extension of the plate 9 beyond the sides of the casing protect the other parts of the hoist, as will readily be understood.

Under some circumstances, particularly when the hoist is to be used in a very low tunnel, the lever 22 is reversed and is provided with a foot pedal so that the attendant can operate the brake 6 by depressing the treadle. This arrangement, however, obviously does not necessitatev any change in position on the part of the workmen in operating all of thecontrols.

It will now be appreciated that this invention provides a construction in which "he danger of injury to the hoist is substantially reduced and, what is more important, eliminates much of the danger of injury to the operator of the hoist. In addition to these features the invention also provides a hoist which is more convenient to operate and which can behandled more readily in a mine.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to claim as new is:

1. A hoist, comprising a cable drum shafting therefor, an electric motor, gear connections between said motor and drum for driving the drum, a clutch through which the driving connection between said motor and drum is controlled, a brake for said drum. a casing substantially enclosing the aforesaid parts of the hoist and forming bear-- ings tor the drum shafting, a controller for said motor, and levers for controlling said brake and clutch, said levers projecting through said casing, and said controller and levers being mounted closely adjacent to each other at one side of said casing.

2. A hoist comprising a cable drum, a motor, driving connections between said motor and drum, and a casing including a body portion housing said drum, motor and connections, and a bottom plate on which said body portion rests, said bottom plate being of greater length and width than the body of the casing, whereby it projects beyond the sides and ends of the casing body, the walls of said body portion supporting the drum and connections.

3. A hoist comprising a cable drum, a motor, driving connections between said motor and drum, a brake for said drum, a casing enclosing said parts and including a bottom plate, end and side plates supported on said bottom plate and providing a support for the drum and driving connections, and a substantially fiat top covering said parts, said top including aremovable cover, and controlling devices for said drum, motor, andb 'ake located closely adjacent to each other outside the casing but within convenient reach of the operator while standing in a given position at one side of said casing, the bottom plate of said casing being of greater length and width than the body of the casing whereby it projects beyond the side and end walls of the casing.

l. A hoist comprising a cable drum, a motor driving connections between said motor and drum, a brake/for said drum, a flat top casing in which the drum and connections are mounted, said casing substantially enclosing all of said parts and a plurality of controlling devices for said drum, motor and brake located closely adjacent to each other outside the casing but within convenient reach of the operator while standing in a given position at one side of said casing.

5. A hoist comprising a cable drum, a motor, driving connections between said motor and drum, a brake for said drum, a casing substantially enclosing said parts, the drum and connections being mounted in said casing and a plurality of cont-rolling devices length than the body of the casing and havfor said drum, motor and brake located ing its opposite ends turned upwardly. closely adjacent to each other outside the In testimony whereof we have h t 10 casing but Within convenient reach of the signed our names to this specification. operator While standing in a given position at one side of said casing, said casing in- THOMAS O. WERNER. eluding a bottom plate of greater Width and ERIK W. MIKAELSON. 

